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| Mandala
Center News Fall 2009 |
In
this issue:
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Read
Newsletter Archives
info@mandalaforchange.com |
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MANDALA
IN AFGHANISTAN! |
| Mandala
Center founder, Marc Weinblatt recently returned from Afghanistan
where he led 3 weeks of Theatre of the Oppressed based community
development work. Sponsored by ICTJ (International Center for
Transitional Justice) and working on the ground through AHRDO
(Afghan Human Rights & Democracy Organization), Marc was
privileged to get a uniquely intimate glimpse into the people
and politics of one of the world's most complex and controversial
hot spots. Afghanistan is much more than the dangerous and repressive
images one sees in the mainstream media. Burqas, suicide bombs,
kidnapping threats, the Taliban - yes. But also courageous activism,
warm loving people, and a remarkable underground rock band!
Marc was honored to work in
conjunction with his longtime friend and T.O. colleague, Hector
Aristizabal, from the USA and also Playback Theatre specialist,
Karin Gisler, from Switzerland. The entire 7-week program,
including 2 weeks of on-the-job followup training for local
staff was made possible due to the great vision and supreme
organizational efforts of Hjalmar Joffre-Eichhorn who has
been doing grassroots work in Afghanistan for 2 1/2 years.
The long-term plan is that a team of men and women from a
variety of ethnic groups will continue to develop, facilitate,
and multiply the work towards positive social change in Afghanistan.
Contact Marc for more information on
the trip or the Applied Theatre project in Afghanistan.
marc@mandalaforchange.com
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The main goal of the project was to train people in the use
of applied / interactive theatre techniques as a tool for
community empowerment and sustainable social change. Working
mostly in Kabul but also small towns and villages, Marc led
participatory theatre workshops, trainings, and performances
with a variety of groups including victims of war and genocide,
women, orphans, high school teachers, university students,
community activists, and professional actors. Subject matter
included women's rights, poverty, underage marriage, suicide
bombs, the Taliban, domestic violence, education, as well
as a previously unheard of public forum on ethnic tension
in Afghanistan.
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12th ANNUAL SUMMER T.O. TRAINING |
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Spaces
are still available for our annual summer T.O. training intensive
in Port Townsend, WA. Participants join us from across the
U.S. and abroad for this playful and provocative week. See
the following for basics. For more details, go
to our website
or contact: info@mandalaforchange.com
or 360-344-3435.
Mandala
Center Advanced T.O. training in Afghanistan - October 2009
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THEATRE
OF THE OPPRESSED FACILITATOR'S TRAINING:
WAGING PEACE - DESIGNING JUSTICE
Our 12th annual version of this 6-day training will focus
on community building games, Image Theatre, Forum Theatre,
some Rainbow of Desire techniques, and will culminate in an
interactive public Forum Theatre performance / community dialogue,
developed by the participants, around social justice issues.
For beginner as well as more experienced practitioners seeking
to deepen their work.
Facilitated by Marc Weinblatt
When:
Mon, June 21 - Sat, June 26, 2010
Where: Port Townsend, WA
Cost: US$450; $400 if registered by 4/3/2010
($$ arrangements available based on need; no one turned away.)
Registration: Pay
in full via Paypal (with credit card) on our website or
send minimum US$100 non-refundable deposit per person to:
Mandala Center
510 35th St.
Port Townsend, WA 98368 |
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"POETIC
JUSTICE THEATRE ENSEMBLE" UPDATE |
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The multigenerational
Poetic Justice Theatre Ensemble (currently 16-82 years old)
will begin a shortened 8th season in January 2010. After taking
the fall off for members to do other projects, the team is
poised to do 5 performances in local senior centers as part
of the "Arts to Elders" program in February. Other
projects for the spring will be announced shortly.
A highlight of last season was a rare run of open-to-the-public
interactive community performances at Key City Public Theatre
in Port Townsend. "Don't Look, Don't See: Dramas from
Below the Radar" featured two new, company-created Forum
Theatre scripts addressing challenging and timely social issues
– "Dousing the Flame" on youth disempower-ment and
"Walking the Line" on poverty. "Dousing the
Flame" also was performed at the Boiler Room, Port Townsend's
youth driven coffee house and community center. |
Justine Gonzalez-Berg, Alia Stevens, &
Kai Addae in "Dousing the Flame" |
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Some
current and upcoming projects of the Mandala Center include:
Diversity
/ Anti-oppression Training for the Olympia Food Co-op
Olympia, WA - Dec. 2009
Facilitated by Liz Goodwin & Marc Weinblatt
Liz Goodwin and Marc Weinblatt continue a Diversity training
process for staff of the Olympia Food Coop. Working with gender
Caucus Groups, this continues a process beguan by Liz and
Dr. Leticia Nieto. Goals are to create a healthy work environment
for all.
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Anti-Oppression
"Train the Trainers" workshops for Global
Visionaries
Seattle, WA - Jan. 2010.
Facilitated by Cheryl Harrison & Marc Weinblatt |
| Continuing
our long-term relationship with Global Visionaries (GV),
Cheryl Harrison and Marc Weinblatt led a training session
to prepare youth leaders to facilitate T.O. based Anti-Oppression
workshops. These select youth then lead retreats in the
winter and spring as part of GV's program for high school
students who participate in service trips to Guatemala.
This further develops GV's commitment to generating dialogue
around racism, sexism, classism, and imperialism as it
relates to the students' lives at home and as U.S. travelers
in rural Central America. For more info on GV, go to:
http://www.global-visionaries.org/ |
For
information on how the Mandala Center can tailor a workshop,
training, performance,
or other event for your group, contact us at:
360-344-3435
info@mandalaforchange.com
www.mandalaforchange.com
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